The Rwenzori Gateway

"Unveiling the Mystical Wonders of the Rwenzoris"

The Rwenzori Gateway

The 35 ha Rwenzori Mountains Gateway is a formerly degraded farmland now privately managed by ECOTRUST. The land was purchased by ECOTRUST with funding from WWF and is located in the Rwenzori Mountains; a World Heritage Site, Ramsar Site and important Bird Area. The Gateway is rich in biodiversity and forms a buer to the Rwenzori Mountains National Park. ECOTRUST in partnership with the Uganda Wildlife Authority and the Ruboni community, is conserving this important site through Ecotourism development.

Forest Restoration Through selective and gradual removal of the exotics,the forest is being managed to regenerate back into a natural forest.

Rwenzori Visitors Information Centre.

The VIC is a creative representation of up to date high quality information on the cultural and conservation signicance of the Rwenzoris. Managed in collaboration with the communities, the VIC forms a source of revenue for communities through sale of products such as honey, crafts and services such as community trails.

Forest Exploration trails This is an exciting community – led forest tour taking you through the Gateway and the surrounding community managed land. It is a less strenous alternative of exploring the Rwenzoris than mountain climbing and provides you with a sneak peek into the lives of the mountain people and the biodiversity.

Biodiversity Monitoring This is community – base scientic tourism that offers opportunities for volunteers as well as an understanding of the Rwenzoris through scientic expeditions. Through these expeditions, the Gateway will generate information on the status of biodiversity in the light of a changing climate.

Trees for Global Benefit ECOTRUST is also promoting afforestation on private land within the surrounding communities under its community -based carbon osetting scheme – Trees for Global Benefit. This scheme supports the intergration of tree planting in the livelihoods strategies of small-scale landholder farmers using carbon credits.

Equator Snow Lodge

Equator Snow Lodge is a sensational destination for the experienced mountaineer, the casual trekker or the ordinary traveller. Working in close collaboration with the Ruboni Community, and Rwenzori Mountaineering Services, a selection of mountaineering activities can be organised from Equator Snow Lodge, ranging from guided mountain walks with low endurance hikes, to climbing the mountain peaks for the technically more competent.

The Rwenzori Mountains have been declared a World Heritage Site. Accordingly, the public restaurant, lounge and bar areas are designed around the history of the Rwenzori Mountains,with displays of signicant historical illustrations.

Come and experience the legend that has surrounded the Mountains of the Moon, as they were named by Greek historians more than two thousand years ago.

Rwenzori Gateway Project Strategies

The project strategies at the Gateway are aimed at establishing a foundation for capacity building and long term data collection to generate information for the continued monitoring of the state of biodiversity in the Rwenzori area.

Building Partnerships with international and local universities, UWA, local communities and Geolodges – MoUs signing has been initiated with partners.

Establishment of a biological field research station relevant to universities in the region: space for field station has been secured.

Community- based capacity building programmes (guiding and research assistants). Local guides in the area are due for training to work alongside experts – guides will ably lead on mountain hikes, Gateway trail walks and community tourism ventures.

Promoting scientific expeditions involving national and international students, experts and volunteers to assess scientificc parameters as water quality,biodiversity, amphibians, reptiles, birds, plants, small mammals and insects and Gateway PES.